HARD LUCK STORY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 69, 22 March 1928, Page 8

HARD LUCK STORY.

"ENGINEER OUT OF WORK.

"ABSOLUTELY PENNILESS."

A story of real misfortune was unfolded at a meeting of creditors in the estate of Walter Lees Brown, engineer, this .morning. Mr. G. N. Morri\ Official Assignee, presided.

Bankrupt's "debts amounted to- £190 8/1, and his assets were nil.

According to his official statement, Brown had been employed with an engineering firm at £0 10/ per week, and ne had been paid off owing to depression In trade. He managed to secure another job, and wis again put off two w<sks before Christmas, 1927. Since then he had done no work, although he had made application for hundreds of jobs without success. Now he was absolutely penniless and was relying on his children and the generosity of friends to keep going.

"On my solicitor's advice I have sought the refuge of bankruptcy," said Brown, "and as all .the debts are fairly and squarely owing, I will endeavour, as soon as I get a job that will enable' me to do so, to pay into the Official Assignee as much us I can to, be distributed amongst my creditors."-

In answer to the Official bankrupt said he had kept no taofes and had not had any bahking account. His wife had nothing whatever, and' he bad folic children to. rent had been £2 It was discovered 'in tls: course ot cross-examination, that during the last two years Brown had gone' back £190. This he attributed to having to pay too much rent, and to his wife's illness.

Official Assignee: You have been going back at the rate of '£2 a week during the last two years, although you have been in fairly steady work. Is that so? Bankrupt: Yes, that is a fact.

Well, what do you propose to do? Are you going to pay off your accounts? «—lt will-be my honest endeavour to pay off all I can if I can get into work. The meeting terminated without any resolution being passed.